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Monday, October 27, 2008

Hey KFC, Newsflash Women Get Hungry

Even if I were so inclined to eat this artery clogging slop, KFC has wagered that I will never be hungry enough to eat it because I have a vagina and two beautiful breasts (yeah tooting my own horn). I searched online for the commercial to no avail; and so you will have to take my word for it that no one with any ovaries appears in the commercial for this heart attack in a box extravaganza.

Since nothing in this the box is good for a healthy functioning body, there was a part of me that thought about not blogging about this, but the exclusion of women and its implications was just too much to ignore.

When we see advertising aimed at women it usually falls into three categories, housecleaning, diet food/weight loss, andchildcare. Over and over again, the gender card is played with the confidence that we will pick up the clues and perform as we have been socialized to do.

While skipping a BIG BOX meal certainly is not harmful to anyone, the idea that women are excluded from targeted marketing in this instance is. High fat meals like this are not targeted at women because capitalism and patriarchy have much invested in the constant disciplining of our bodies.

Specifically not targeting women in this ad campaign will not hurt KFC because of course they have already made sure to let us know that when we are stressed out from working our second shift (read: working/parenting) we can always feed our children KFC to reduce our stress factor. For the sake of family togetherness we will be allowed to participate in the great secret recipe path to the cardiology department; however succumbing to the BIG BOX for our own personal satisfaction, is unacceptable as it has clearly been deemed testicle territory.

It takes a manly man to consume the BIG BOX, that is after all why it was named the BIG BOX. Women are meant to eat sparingly. How else can we make sure our bodies are suitably fuckable? Every single calorie must be counted if we are to remain in strict control and maintain the skeleton like frames that we have been told are so attractive. Everything in "manland" is bigger, and brighter, than the diminutive pink coded world that women are expected to inhabit. Masculinity needs the BIG BOX, after all men have important work to do running the world.

I swear there are some that would have us fainting like it was the 1800s again. The corset may be invisible today, but it is very much in existence. By the simple act of exclusion we are reminded of what behaviour is acceptable for women to perform. Good girls don't sit sucking on chicken bones shooting the shit with their friends. Nope, we are eating yogurt watching with envy as men are encouraged to satisfy their baser desires.

So don't eat that BIG BOX. Keep your figure trim and while you are at it, remember to perform all of the other tidy little behaviours that come with womanhood. Cross your legs, 'cause womens bodies are closed. Remember to scrub that toilet, 'cause women apparently are the only ones with a vested interest in making sure the living environment is sanitary, and most of all (this is really key) if it looks like it might be deliciously bad for you, and it isn't chocolate, fudge, or ice cream, it's off limits.

8 comments:

Kim
said...

I saw a commercial for Hungryman frozen dinners that was pretty insulting. Three construction workers (read: manly men) were sitting down for their lunch break, eating yogurt (read: lady food). One of them said he was going to the restroom and asked if the other two wanted to come. One said he had to go too and the other said he didn't have to go but he'd keep them company (read: typical lady behavior).

As they stood up and headed for the restroom, one of their coworkers said something along the lines of "Where are you going, ladies?" Then the voiceover says: "You are what you eat, so make it a Hungryman with a full pound of meat and potatoes, you can eat like a man and be full like a man."

So in other words, like you are saying, larger portions should only be eaten by manly men and never by women, lest we gain wight and lose our only asset, our looks.

I haven't seen this commercial yet, but KFC also runs ones about 'Giving mom a break' or some such crap, I think for a Mother's Day special. The gist is that, on this ONE day, wouldn't it be nice if the husband and kids gave the mom a break from her mandatory-every-night cooking, and brough home KFC?

No chicken for you, lady! You get the diet pills and the Swiffer.Maybe once in a while for a special special treat you can have some of that yogurt that helps you poop. Women go orgasmic over that stuff. I know because I've seen the commercials.

That commercial reminds me of the old Burger King one where all the men are rebelling against "chick food" by eating huge Whoopers. It's not that the KFC Big Box/ Hungryman/ Whoppers etc. are good for you (they aren't) or cheap (they aren't) or even taste particularly good (they don't), but if you eat that stuff, you'll be considered a manly man. When the only reason you can give people to eat your food is "You're a sissy if you don't." then you ought to reexamine your menu. As has been said of Scottish cuisine; "It's like all our recipes are based on a dare."

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About Me

I am the mother of two darling little boys that fill my life with hope. They have inspired me to help raise awareness of the issues that plague this little blue planet.
If you are looking for a blog that is all about how wonderful and rosy this world is, turn right because this space will not be for you. I am a committed humanist. I believe in the value of people over commodities. I believe in the human right to food, clothing, shelter, and education. I am pacifist, anti-racist, WOC. My truth may not be your truth, but I intend to speak it nonetheless.
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